This summer has brought flooding rainfall to several parts of the U.S. Pennsylvania had its wettest summer on record, and the neighboring states of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia each had one of their 10 wettest summers on record. The warming climate enhances the water cycle, leading to more extreme rainfall. The NCEI Climate Extremes Index

With flooding in parts of the Mississippi Valley and a strong Pacific storm coming into the Northwest, we examined the trend in the number of days each year with heavy precipitation at 244 individual sites in the U.S. This expands our nationwide-averaged heavy precipitation analysis from earlier this year, complementing the 2017 Climate Science

Harvey and Irma have brought devastating floods to Texas and Florida, while severe to exceptional drought has contributed to wildfires in Montana and the Pacific Northwest. These types of weather and climate extremes are trending upward, as indicated by the NCEI Climate Extremes Index. In addition to accounting for drought and hurricane winds, the

Less than 24 hours after the second named storm of Atlantic hurricane season formed, we have number three. Tropical Storm Cindy formed on Tuesday afternoon, continuing an active start to hurricane season. The storm is packing winds up to 45 mph, but it’s unlikely to strengthen much before making landfall along the Louisiana-Texas border. Cindy

For the first time since 2011, the Pacific Northwest is not registering any sign of drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor. There are also no signs of a potential drought looming on our horizon. None. We’re in the clear. So, why the good news about drought? It’s about the precipitation — the cold variety. We got a lot of it this winter.

Heavier precipitation is a signature of climate change. For every 1°F of temperature increase, the atmosphere can effectively hold 4 percent more water vapor. So as the world warms from the increase in greenhouse gases, the amount of evaporation also increases from oceans, lakes, rivers, and soils. The extra water vapor is available to produce

Californians are about to hear a phrase that’s been rarely uttered during the five-year drought that’s dogged the state: atmospheric river. A band of moisture extending from the central Pacific to the Golden State’s shores and mountains will bring rain totals measured in feet and snow totals measured in yards. While it remains to be seen if 2017

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, prepare for a long weekend that’s probably going to be best spent indoors. Punishing winds and heavy rain (and mountain snow) are on tap through Sunday. An atmospheric river ushered the nasty weather ashore from northern California to Washington on Thursday and Friday. Tornado damage was reported on the

We just passed the peak of Atlantic hurricane season, but that doesn’t mean the tropics have gone to sleep. Quite the opposite. Two named storms are churning in the basin with a tropical depression developing just west of Cape Verde. One of those storms, Tropical Storm Julia, formed on Tuesday. That the storm developed at all isn’t that notable

After an already wet week, the Gulf Coast faces potentially historic flooding Friday and Saturday. Some areas in Louisiana have already seen an estimated 20 inches of rain and more could fall through Saturday. Tropical storms and hurricanes are headline grabbers, but this storm is creating equally dangerous conditions even if it doesn’t have a